LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Being competitive on the ice brings a certain excitement to hockey, but Kristen Morrison said the ultimate goal for the Moosehide Mammas is to make sure every player is having fun.

That's another successful season in the books for the Fort Simpson women's hockey club, Morrison said.

And while the swoosh of skates and clank of pucks may be over for the season, the Mammas aren't done.

Morrison, vice-president of the hockey club, said the season was successful, with the team travelling to Fort Nelson, B.C., for a tournament, and hosting its own for the first time in at least three years.

The team had ice-time three nights a week, using one of those nights to play against the old-timers hockey team in the village.

"We had a lot of people help out this year," she said of the nearly half-dozen community members who gave their time to make sure the team could get in some semi-competitive hockey. "Some of the male players would come out and ref games we'd play on Wednesdays against the old-timers. It would give us a chance to get lines together and play a real game."

Having more than 20 players committed to the team, allowed for better player development, Morrison said despite players being unable to make it every night.

"People join and end up being happy they did," she said of newcomers who took to the ice with the squad. "We have ice time a couple times a week and many (players) are parents who can't commit to every night, so it's flexible that way."

While the skill level varies from player to player, Morrison said player development is an important goal the team tries to work toward every year.

"We don't practise to just win, it's about developing skills," she said. "Everyone notices weaknesses and we try to work on those and it's nice when it's an open group where we can see where we are lacking and everyone starts to pick up the language of the game and skills."

The most challenging aspect of building momentum is the fact the team only gets on the ice in mid-November, and by the time the season is over come March, team members have just begun to hit their stride.

"By the end of the season ,we get the hang of it," Morrison said. "We sometimes take for granted that they know the rules or when icing has happened, so the communication comes together. Some don't want the pressure of trying to improve. Some are out for exercise and fun and that's a great dynamic to have."

While the Mammas are always looking to increase the number of players.

Morrison said there aren't any plans at this point to create two teams.

"Just because the attendance is so sporadic during the year, we never have enough to do two teams," she said. "It comes together at tournament time, but we have a hard time getting consistency.

"One thing about our team, it's about different levels and we don't want to put (anyone) out. We have about four guys that consistently helped this year and it'll be up to them on how to divide and it can be tough. If we just made one of total beginners, it wouldn't be very enjoyable."

With long nights in the winter, Morrison said it's good to have something to do and she encourages more people to come out and take a crack at the game, especially since they have such generous ice time.

"It's not like that everywhere else so we're pretty lucky to have the ice time we do," she said.

The Moosehide Mammas will once again host a Mother's Day Brunch for the community and Golf for the Cure in June this year. Morrison said it isn't just about hockey for the club, but about community-building and creating a space for women to engage in the sport.

"The fun has to remain in it," she said. "That's what it is for everyone."

The team is committed to returning to Fort Nelson for the third straight year, and is planning to host its own tournament again next year. Morrison added the team hopes to attend tournaments in Hay River and Fort Smith, as well.

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